Progressive Dinner Blog Hop: Holiday Party Drinks

Happy Tasty Tuesday, friends!  I know that I don't usually share recipes around these parts but I'm participating in a fun, food-related blog hop today with my friends from The Blended Blog!

Have you ever taken part in a progressive dinner where you pop from one friend's home to another for the different courses of a meal?  Well that's what we are doing today!  But instead of visiting our homes, you are finding our different recipes on our blogs!

Last week a few Blended Bloggers presented a progressive dinner featuring warm and cozy comfort foods.  Today our focus is a holiday party menu!  I'm the first stop on your culinary tour today with a couple of fun drink ideas!

Last holiday season, I concocted a festive Polar Punch that was absolutely delicious.  Credit for finding this recipe goes to my sister who chose it for my niece's first birthday party!  I can't find the exact recipe that we used because I think we modified the original so that it would be pink to match the party.  Instead of using the blue Kool-Aid mix that the recipe calls for, we used a raspberry lemonade mix and in lieu of vanilla ice cream, we created a snowball-like fizz using raspberry sorbet!  While this is more mocktail than cocktail, I think adding some raspberry-flavored vodka could spice up the party!

Another fun drink idea for a holiday party is a hot chocolate bar!  A couple of thermoses of hot chocolate, bowls of your favorite toppings (and a bottle or two of Bailey's and Kahlua) make for an interactive and tasty drink experience!  The personalized hot chocolates were a hit at Eloise's party!

What do you think, did we get the party started?!  When you are ready to munch on some appetizers, head over to Sheila's blog to see what she has prepared for us!

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Blogging Besties :: A Cozy Scarf and Riding Boots

Blogging Besties is a weekly series featuring Whitney of Whitney à la mode, Alex of Undergraduate Style, Maricel of ::My Closet Catalogue:: and Selah of A Bibliophile’s Style. Each week, one of the bloggers will choose one component from the previous week’s outfit to pass on in a brand new look. This “take one, pass it on” challenge is an inspiration to stretch your closet and your imagination!

  Last week, Alex made me long for fall with her autumnal-colored ensemble.

 

 Thank goodness the weather has finally turned here in SoCal. Because... This week is brought to you by: “pumpkin orange, a cozy scarf, lace, and riding boots". And for your viewing pleasure, I give you: a cozy scarf and riding boots.

 

 You don't even know how long I've been waiting for sweater weather! What with our (California's) drought and our (my family's) running the A/C well into double-digit months and my getting all fired up with work drama, I desperately needed a cooling off down period. What better way to celebrate that much-anticipated chill in the air than with proper fall attire? Huzzah for OTK boots and oversized, Mr. Rogers-esque cardigans with iconic elbow patches. Hip, hip, hooray for plaid prints and wooly infinity scarves.

I also feel that this outfit brings me back to my roots. It's almost as if I've come full circle in this wild ride I call my adventure into the blogoverse. When I began my style blog, I was trying to find my "fashion voice" and I still fell back on my de rigeur uniform of button-up shirts and boots whenever I found myself straying into unfamiliar/uncomfortable territory. Multiple trends (bubble necklaces, tulle skirts, and blanket scarves, anyone?) and hundreds of dollars later, it's almost a relief to realize that what I started off with really is my signature style. Don't I just look so relaxed and comfortable in my own skin?

 

 I'm still a retro diva, but I feel that persona only comes out in the warmer months. I'm also still sewing and have loads of hand-crafted items to show off, many of them of the retro persuasion. But for right now, when the smell of petrichor and pine is in the air, let's indulge me and my "casual Friday" outfits, wot? For Selah’s turn next week, I challenge her to the following: camel, plaid or a throwback look. Vive le vendredi!

:: Just the facts, ma’am :: Top - Mossimo Supply Co. Cardi – Forever 21 Scarf - eBay Jeans – Aeropostale Boots - Rue 21

:: Scream it from the top of your lungs :: The Run and Go by Twenty One Pilots

Velvet Glamour

I'm back today with my last of three outfits featuring pieces from Zaful.  If you missed them, take a peek at my cozy blanket scarf look and my trendy choker experiment!

As much as I love the pieces I've already featured, I've saved my favorite for last!  I've been itching to try the velvet trend, especially for the holiday season!  To me, velvet just exudes warm holiday glamour.  For that reason, I put together a party look featuring this beautiful blue velvet dress from Zaful.

Let's start by highlighting what I love about this piece: the color!  It is even more vibrant in person than it is on the website.  It also comes in a pretty green that I wish I could see in person.   And the price absolutely can't be beat.  I guarantee you won't find another holiday party dress for such a steal!

The one downside is that this dress can't really be worn as a dress, at least not on my body (and I'm pretty average in height).  Admittedly, the dress looks a bit short on the model but is extremely short on me.  It will definitely be worn as a tunic but makes for a super comfy holiday look paired with leggings!  I'm wearing my typical size medium but wouldn't size up because the rest of the dress fits well and I don't think it would add enough length.

If you are interested in your very own velvet tunic, comment below with your e-mail address and a link to something else from Zaful that you are coveting for your chance to win a $100 gift certificate! Today is the last day to enter!

What I'm Wearing:
Tunic: c/o Zaful (exact)
Leggings: LulaRoe
Necklace: Rocks Box (similar, similar)
Bracelet: Stella&Dot (exact)
Clutch: LouLou (similar, similar)
Heels: DSW (exact)

Where I'm linking-up!
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Rose Quartz November and Trying a Trend with Zaful

Wow!  It's hard to believe that I've been doing my monthly Rose Quartz series for almost a whole year!  In case you missed it, this shade of blush pink was deemed Pantone's color of 2016.  Rose Quartz has always been one of my favorite hues so I've featured it once a month, all year, in seasonal combinations.

I thought that November would be the perfect month to break-out my blush, leather moto jacket!  It's been unseasonably warm this month and this jacket is the perfect light layer to wear over my other wardrobe staples.

The other fun detail I've added to my outfit of basics are a couple of chokers!  Have you noticed that these necklaces have reemerged and are totally on trend this season?  Zaful generously gifted me with this three-strand, leather choker and I added a simple gold one from Stella&Dot for a layered look.  If you are curious about trying one of fall's biggest trends but don't want to break the bank, this is the one to try and I suggest checking Zaful for a large and super affordable collection.

And speaking of Zaful, together, we are giving away a gift certificate for $100 to their online store.  All you have to do to enter is comment below with your e-mail address and a link to one of their items that you are wish listing.  And believe me, $100 will get you really far because their pieces are so affordable!

What I'm Wearing:
Shirt: Banana Republic (similar)
Jacket: Wilson's Leather (similar)
Jeans: American Eagle (exact)
Leather Choker: Zaful (exact)
Gold Choker: Stella&Dot (exact)
Flats: Target (similar)
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5 Ways to Be a Better Dater at The Blended Blog

Well friends, I have been out in the dating world for a couple of months now and let me tell you, it's not easy!

If you are looking for ways to maintain your happiness and to continue to feel at peace with yourself while navigating the crazy dating world (or perhaps you want to be able to provide support for your single friends), check-out my post, 5 Ways to Be a Better Dater, at The Blended Blog today!

P.S.  If anyone has a single, eligible Prince Charming on hand, I wouldn't mind if you sent him my way!

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Blogging Besties: Black and Cognac

Blogging Besties is a weekly series featuring Whitney of Whitney à la mode, Alex of The Cheerful Closet, Maricel of ::My Closet Catelogue:: and Selah of A Bibliophile's Style. Each week, one of the bloggers will choose one component from the previous week's outfit to pass on in a brand new look. This "take one, pass it on" challenge is an inspiration to stretch your closet and your imagination!

Last week, Whitney left me with probably the easiest prompt ever--black and cognac! I wear black and cognac ALL. THE. TIME, so it was my pleasure to style it for Blogging Besties! Here, I wore my black jeans with cognac boots--a classic combination. I added a lace top, my pumpkin orange, and a fluffy scarf. Not gonna lie, I felt really good when I wore this to church!

Maricel's prompts for next week are: pumpkin orange, a cozy scarf, lace, and riding boots!

Top: J.C. Penney (similar, similar, similar)

Cardigan: Target (similar, similar, similar)

Jeans: LOFT (exact, similar, similar)

Boots: Target (exact, similar, similar)

Scarf: Forever XXI (similar, similar, similar)

Previous Editions of Blogging Besties

Thankful

Want to wrap-up in your own cozy scarf from Zaful?  Enter to win a gift card below!

Happy Thanksgiving, my lovely friends!  I hope this post finds you with a warm (non-travel) mug of coffee in your hands while enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!

As I mentioned earlier this week, I will be spending the holiday with my mom and dad.  We are planning to watch the parade (and the subsequent dog show), eat our favorite Thanksgiving dishes, and then nap to the sound of the Lions football game in the background.  While I may not be wearing this exact outfit today, I will be wearing something very similar.  Since we're spending the holiday just the three of us and aren't traveling anywhere, it's leggings and comfy clothes all the way for me!

While I love my blanket scarf as much as the next girl, this is the first I've thought to use it in a comfy "stay-at-home" kind of an outfit.  The scarf makes the outfit even more cozy but also makes me feel a bit more put together.  And yes, yes I do own slippers that match my cat.  See!?